Anemia in patients with axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis

Objective: to study the incidence and performe the features of anemia in patients with axial (axSpA) and peripheral spondyloarthritis (perSpA). Material and methods: 112 patients with axSpA and 34 patients with perSpA were included in the study. The median age was 39 [33; 47] years, the proportion of men was 71 (60.2 %) patients. The BASDAI and ASDAS-CRP scores were calculated, the hemogram, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), and ferrokinetic parameters were studied. Depending on the indicators of iron metabolism and CRP levels, anemia of inflammation (AI), iron deficiency anemia (IDA) or a combination of both (AI + IDA) were diagnosed. Results: anemia was detected in 53.6 % of patients with axSpA, in 47.1 % of patients with perSpA (p = 0.506). In most cases, AI with or without an iron deficiency component was recorded in axSpA and perSpA — 83.7 % and 87.5 %, respectively (p = 0.409). A mild anemia corresponded in 93.3 % of patients with axSpA and in 81.3 % of patients with perSpA (p = 0.250). In both groups, the presence of anemia was associated with increased levels of CRP and ESR. Conclusion: anemia is a common hematological disorder in patients with spondyloarthritis, reflecting the high inflammatory activity of the basic inflammatory process. The incidence, severity, and type of anemia in patients with axSpA and perSpA are comparable.